Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1887-09-05
south Mountain and its Historic Sur.
rOumdjmgs.

south Mountain and it's Historic Sur
rOundings.
TIE SHAFT ERECTED on THE HIGHEST PRAK-THE
GRAND VIEW OF MOUNTAIN RANGES AND VAL
LEYs-THE battlefield OF ANTIETAN-THE
MOUNTAIN GHOST STORIES.
Correspondence of The EVENING STAR.
BooSEsB0Ro Nd, Sept. 3
"Built In memory OF George Washington July 4
Is27 by the citizens OF Boonesboro and vicinity
Rebuilt July 4, 1882. by the members OF south
Mountain Encampment, No. 5.Lo.OF
"WM. +. SMITH,
"ELIAs GosT,
JACOB b. BLOCKER.
'BoonesbOro, Nd. .Committee.-
These words are neatly cut in a tablet OF white
marble imbedded in the monument that stands on
the highest peak OF the south Mountains in Mary
land Ii was the first monument erected in Amer
lea in memory OF the Father Of our country and
its situation BELTS the great character IL was IN
tended TO commemorate. At present 1t is a struc-
ture OF white sandstone, about so feet in circum-
Terence AT the bottom and tapering upward 10 a
distance OF 40 feet Ten feet above the top Of the
monument proper platform or lookout has been
erected on iron pillars and accessible by means of
small wooden stairway, which is a continuation
OF the thirty more stone steps that run In
spiral fashion up the interior.
THE ASCENT TO THE MONUMENT.
Standing at an elevation of over 1900 feet 1t
every side, but from the rugged character of the
mountain on which 1t is built IL Is rarely visited
by strangers or other people, and stands In silent
majesty. proudly rearing It's white head among l
the clouds that laZily noat over the summit OF
south Mountain. The hands of man have cleared
quite space around the pile, but nature has
thrown up immense 0oulderS and rocks, one upon
another, which form an almost impenetrable bar
rfer 10 the ascent by any person who may not be
blessed with sinews OF iron and heart OF oak. The
way 10 the monument, from long diSuse, has as
Suinei It's primitive appearance. And where years
ago there was fine path or road leading from the
Old National Road which traverSeS the pass,
through the valley and winding round and round
up the mountain side, there Is now but little yes
tige or evidence OF IL, and the curiosity seeker
must perforce drag his weary legs up the steep
Incline over huge rocks, fallen trees and stumpS,
and through the heavy underground, bristling
with briers and sharp tw1sS-
THE VIEW FROM THE LOOKOUT.
But once at the top and standing on the plat
form or lookout one is repaid for all his laborS.
The view can hardly be surpassed In any country
Ia the world. As far as the eye can reach the
mountains and valleys stretch out. Mountains.
mountains every where! Looking to the west and
over the fertile Antetam valley there rises range
after range OF the stately AieghanieS. To the east
the green hills OF Maryland are plainly seen lin
around them nature draws blue veil or haze,
which has caused them To be called the Blue Ridge.
on the north and south the South Mountains con-
tnue In harsh ridges till they fade into the dis
tance. But equally beautiful as the mountains
ere The valleys and plains which lie in their en-
distance, and the South Mountains Is
THE ANTIETAM VALLEY,
with its undulating surface piercedby the Big and
Little Ant1etaIn Rivers. II was here that that
bloody battle was fought, and there away on In
the southwest, the houses and churches OF the
little town OF SharpsOurg, and. On its outskirts,
the white outline OF the great monument In the
Antietam cemetery, can be plainly seen by the
naked eye. Two miles and half to the west OF
south Mountain Is the little town OF Boonsboro,
named in honor of that celebrated hunter Daniel
Boone, whose favorite stamping ground this was
years and years ago. keedySviIle The railroad
station, lies about three miles due east OF Boons-
ooro, which is communicated with by means of
the old-fashiOned Stage coach. just seen In the
distance, and way OF 10 the northwest, lies
HAGERSTOwN.
The view TO the east, north and south OF the
monument, is not quite so extensive on such a
grand scale as that on the west, but ii is quite
enough 10 satisfy the cravings OF any person for
the beautiful in nature. Here on the east is the
celebrated MiddletOwn Valley. in which are nu-
merolS small and prosperous burgs and towns. As
farming country it ranks with the best, and its
whole surface Is carefully cultivated by the thrifty
farmers Across one range OF the Blue Ridge the
spires OF Frederick City, the home Of Barbara
Frietchie, rise in the blue atmosphere. The first
ridge TO the left or south OF that on which the
Washington Monument stands Is called Mt. Reno
from the galIent Union officer who gave his life
for his country'S cause ON its steep sides The ex-
act spot on which he was killed by a bullet nom
the sun OF sharpsighted Johnnie marked
by white stone, but some years ago when the
Il
thrown away. But yet the place is pointed out to
s1ghJ,eers by the hardy mountaineers who love to
tell The story OF the terrible struggle here on
South Mountain. There are no traces left OF those
fearful days, and the fields which were then
strewn with the dead OF both SIDES are now grown
over with corn, and an air OF peace reigns every
where.
THE OLD NATIONAL TURNPIKE
which traverseS the country from the Atlantic
Ocean TO the far West winds its ZigZag way
through the pass over south Mountain, where Its
course Is marked by dozen or more small huts or
cottages built on the sides OF the abutting noun
JainS. At the point where the National Road
crosses the summit OF South Mountain Is the hand
some summer residence or Mrs. Madeline Vinton
Dahlyren, the authOreSS and widow OF Admiral
Dahlgren- The house which she occupies was,
during war times, used tavern, where the
mountaineers, on their long journey between Ha-
gerstOwn and Frederick city, stopped 20 refresh
themselves and their animals. In making neceS-
sary Improvements she has endeayored TO preserve
us ancient appearance. and to-day II Is quite as
inviting as In the old days
SOUTH MOUNTAIN GHOST STORIES.
Many fanciful stories are told about this old
tavern The mountain people look upon 1t as
haunted. and Mrs Dahlgren, IN her book, south
Mountain Magic" relates several stories OF the
supernatural manifestations which have been OBJ
served within Its walls and the region around
Some say that at certain times and at the hour
when grayeyardS yawn, phantom brigades are
seen TO form on the mountain side and charge
wildly down II. Others tell or a huge black ant
NAL which, at night time, comes out or the noun
tain and follows Debated travellers up the road for
mount ain and then disappears.
As noticed above. the monument was rebuilt In
lsec,, owing To superstition among the villagers
that Stone taken from II and thrown down the
mountain would bring good luck To the thrower
thus, the stones in the original structure were
n-arly all torn from their place. Nowadays, the
people have outgrown the belief and the monu-
ment remains sacred except TO the hand OF the
IaHc-cdrying American. the evidence OF whose
propensity Il seen on every side.